Jekel Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
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Jekel Vineyards finds its roots in the early days of Monterey County’s burgeoning wine industry. Founded in 1972 by pioneering grape grower Bill Jekel, the label was instrumental in establishing Monterey as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 1984. The combination of ancient dirt (a result of the vineyards’ location on an ancient alluvial plain) and the unique soil composition (depleted soil, studded with cobblestones) creates a distinctive starting point for the vine.
Today, Jekel is still synonymous with the cool-climate, coastal vineyards of Monterey, where Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir grapes develop their signature depth of flavor and bright acidity. Each sip reflects the extraordinary terroir of this ocean-side region.
A noble variety bestowed with both power and concentration, Cabernet Sauvignon enjoys success all over the globe, its best examples showing potential to age beautifully for decades. Cabernet Sauvignon flourishes in Bordeaux's Medoc where it is often blended with Merlot and smaller amounts of some combination of Cabernet Franc, Malbecand Petit Verdot. In the Napa Valley, ‘Cab’ is responsible for some of the world’s most prestigious, age-worthy and sought-after “cult” wines. Somm Secret—DNA profiling in 1997 revealed that Cabernet Sauvignon was born from a spontaneous crossing of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc in 17th century southwest France.
Named after the dramatic, seasonal river of rain and snowmelt that cuts through the upper elevations of the Santa Lucia Mountains, the Arroyo Seco AVA extends east from the resultant mountain gorge, and into the rural and warm Salinas Valley. During the growing season, cool and damp Pacific Ocean air penetrates the gorge and flows into the valley, creating a cool evening respite for vineyards after a hot summer day. This natural water-release has also created a subterranean aquifer, which helps set the foundation of the AVA's boundaries and supplies the vineyards with water.
Arroyo Seco was actually home to the first commercial vineyard in California, called Mission Ranch, which was owned and propogated by the Mirassou family in the 1960s.
Chardonnay is most widely grown here. But as one of Monterey’s warmer regions, Arroyo Seco enjoys the highest praise for its reds, namely Bordeaux blends.
Arroyo Seco is one of the oldest AVAs in California, its status granted in the early 1980s, and also remains one of its smallest.